MORNINGS AFTERMATH
by Patcat
Summary: This follows AFTERMATH OF AFTERMATH, and it is definitely M in several sections. It's also something of a prequel to WITHOUT ARMOR. Set around Season 5.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter ONE

Alex's scent of lavender and warmth drifted in Bobby's nose. His left hand cupped a supple breast; his right palm lay against her back, where he could feel the soft downy hair. One of her hands rested on top of his left, and their legs were tangled together. Alex's smooth, strong hips were pressed against Bobby's lower abdomen, and her head rested just beneath his chin. Her soft hair swept across his chest, and Bobby could hear her gentle breaths.

"Am I dreaming?" Bobby thought. "Did I really just make love with Alex? Am I asleep? Awake? Both?"

He pressed his nose gently into Alex's hair; she responded with a purring noise and by curling tighter against him. Bobby felt a warm feeling begin behind his heart and flow through him. Tears formed in his eyes.

"What is this?" he thought. "I've never felt anything like this before…Love? No, it's not scary…it's making me cry, but it's not scary…it's not painful…Music, sometimes…makes me feel close to this…Joy? Is this joy?" He lay quietly, not daring to move. "I'm so …happy…I've never…" Bobby trembled and drifted into deeper sleep.

And then they came.

It was black, blacker than black, darker than dark. Bobby was in and out of his body. He looked down at Alex and himself. Something covered them: he saw only their heads and bare shoulders and their outlines beneath the covering. But he was also still in his body, still holding Alex, still touching, still smelling her. He was aware of them, a group of them moving stealthily but steadily on the edge of his vision. Bobby recognized them, although they had no shape.

"Stay away!" Bobby hissed.

They hesitated, and then crept forward.

"Who's the pretty one?" The shapes didn't speak, but their voices echoed in Bobby's mind. "Why, it's Alex, isn't it?" "He finally got her." "Will she save you, Bobby?"

There seemed to be dozens of them, taunting and torturing Bobby.

"Will she try to save you, Bobby?" "Maybe she's a present for us?"

"Go away!" Bobby tried to swing at the shapes, but his arms were heavy.

"When we take you do we get her too?" They were laughing, and Bobby saw sudden, terrifying flashes of crimson eyes and sharp, red stained teeth.

"No! She's not yours! Leave her alone!" Bobby couldn't move; his voice was failing.

The voice buzzed and hissed in his head. "She's so pretty and innocent." "Was she worth the wait?"

"Please," Bobby whimpered, his courage gone. "Don't hurt her…don't…I'll do anything…please, take me…stop…"

The voices laughed. "He's begging…plead some more, Bobby…not that it will make any difference…we'll get you both…"

A red claw shot out of the black towards Alex.

Bobby shot up in bed. He was gasping, his hands flailing at the air.

"They're not real," he thought. "I'm here, in Alex's bed…this is real. It was a dream, just a dream…"

Bobby shivered and looked down at Alex. She stirred slightly, but seemed to be asleep.

"Thank God," he thought, and he held his head in his hands. After a few moments, he rose carefully from the bed and went into the bathroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"Just a dream," he thought. "Just the same old dream…a different variation, but it's to be expected…I hoped, just a little, maybe being with Alex would stop it…" He shook his head. "I should tell her…everything…she deserves to know…but she'd leave…they all leave…she knows better though…she already knows most…or at least more…Go back to bed, Goren…they don't usually come back…and waking her up right now would be cruel…what are you going to tell her? By the way, Alex, I have dreams of monsters and they say they're coming after you next?"

Bobby threw water on his face; it was cool and comforting. He padded back to Alex's bedroom. Bobby slipped on his boxers and T-shirt, their soft cotton and silk giving him some small protection. He stood, a fist to his mouth, looking down at Alex. She had turned on her back, and the faint light from the window streaked her. Her hair lay in a small halo around her head. Bobby felt his heart twisted and turned by love, want, need, and fear.

"I will not hurt you," he whispered. "I will fight myself for you, and I will not hurt you."

He slipped into the bed and lay on his side facing Alex. A soft smile crossed her face as she turned towards him and let an arm drape across him.

The warm sunlight woke Alex. She stretched and yawned liked a contented cat. Wincing slightly, she turned on her side and smiled. Her lovemaking with Bobby had left her deliciously sore and comfortable.

"I feel," she thought, "like every cliché in a bad romance novel. Bobby was wonderful…it seemed to mean so much to him…I wonder why…he got up…And where is he now…Did he…" Panic rose in her. "Leave?...No, he wouldn't…couldn't…What's the smell? Coffee?"

A dark, warm scent began to waft in Alex's direction. The bedroom door opened, and Bobby entered bearing the scent's source.

"Madame's coffee," he said cheerfully as he placed the mug on her nightstand. He perched carefully on the end of the bed and sipped from his own cup.

Alex sat up cautiously, trying not to expose too much of her body. She was suddenly shy. "It's not like he hasn't seen everything," she thought as she sipped her coffee.

Alex studied Bobby. He was dressed in his black, silk boxers and white T-shirt and was as relaxed as Alex had ever known him to be. His dark hair was tousled, his stubble highlighting the planes of his face. His chocolate eyes lacked their usual wariness; they were open, calm and direct. Bobby turned to look at her and smiled. Alex's heart stopped, split, came back together, and resumed beating.

"Does Madame like her morning beverage?" he asked playfully.

"Very much," Alex replied.

"Madame could have had breakfast in bed if she kept anything in her apartment." The smile had become a full grin.

Alex sat her coffee on the nightstand and reached for Bobby. "Madame's breakfast is right here," she said and pulled Bobby's face to hers. She kissed him deeply and passionately.

He was over her immediately, kissing and nibbling her neck. "Where did he put his coffee…Oh, God…what's he doing?" Alex thought. "One time, and he already has all the places on my body memorized…" Her body responded to Bobby's touches, and then Alex became aware of another basic need.

"Bobby…please…stop…" she murmured into his neck.

He lifted his head and carefully looked at her. Panic briefly gripped him.

"Alex…am I…did I…last night…"

Alex smiled at him.

"Don't panic, Bobby…I just gotta go to the bathroom."

He sighed in relief, and then laughed.

"Boy," he said shaking his head, "I gotta work on those abandonment issues, don't I?"

Alex laughed as she headed to the bathroom.

"You're beautiful…you know that?" Bobby called after her.

"Well," Alex thought as she checked her face in the mirror, "I don't think I'm that beautiful…" She smiled at her reflection. "But if Bobby can make a joke about his issues…well, I must be doing something right."

He was waiting just outside the bathroom door. He handed her the coffee and stopped her with a touch on her arm. Alex was intoxicated by the intense study of his eyes and tried to hide her shyness by exploring the depths of her cup.

"You are beautiful," Bobby said huskily. "Very beautiful."

She started to pick up her robe, but he stopped her.

"Please," he asked, "if it's not too cold…or too embarrassing…could you…stay…" He lowered his eyes. "Could you…stay naked…for just a little…"

Alex raised her eyes.

"If you get in the same state," she said softly and playfully.

Bobby stripped off his clothes with satisfying speed. For a few moments they rested on the bed; Alex leaning against Bobby, Bobby propped up against the pillows. They finished their coffee, and Bobby leaned over to kiss Alex.

"Where were we?" he whispered.

"You were bringing me breakfast," she whispered back, her hand tracing his jaw.

"Would Madame," he asked before he kissed her neck, "like the continental?" He moved to kiss and nuzzle the soft skin between her breasts. "Or the short order?" He moved up her body again to kiss her on her eyes. "Or the full breakfast?"

"Does that," Alex asked reaching down to take Bobby's cock in her hand, "include sausage?"

Bobby's eyes widened in shock and desire; then, laughing, he rolled on his back taking Alex with him. Smiling, she straddled him, sitting on his lower stomach just above his growing cock. He took her breasts in his hands, and she arched forward. He slipped his hands from her breasts, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her down to him. They kissed, and Alex slipped her lips from Bobby's mouth to his cheek, across his jaw, and down his neck.

"Let me drive?" she whispered into his throat.

Bobby relaxed his hold on her to answer, and Alex spread kisses and gentle nips across his chest. He moaned in pleasure as she licked and softly bit his nipples. Her hands stroking his chest, Alex sat up, her legs on either side of Bobby. His cock pressed up against her hips, and she pushed against it. Bobby groaned and blinked rapidly. Alex looked down at him and reveled in her power.

"I could do anything to him, right now," she thought. "He trusts me…he loves me…What should I do…take him in my mouth…no…I'm afraid I need something out of this too…"

"Alex," Bobby whispered. "Please…love you so much…please…whatever you want from me…just…oh…"

She leaned forward and kissed him. He started to wrap his arms around her, but Alex caught his hands and pushed them to either side. She rose and slowly descended on Bobby's cock. She brought his hands up to her breasts. He began to thrust upward.

"Bobby, no…wait…" She could barely speak, but he stopped and gazed at her with passion and need.

Alex pushed down on Bobby slowly until she was embedded on him. She stared at him; he was panting, desperate to move but needing to please her. And Alex found she wanted to please him more than she had ever wanted anything.

"Now…" she breathed, and Bobby drove up into her body. He clutched at her breasts as he moved, and Alex tightened her fingers around his. They both cried out at the pain and pleasure.

"Alex…oh…argh..ah…"

"Bobby, Bobby…more…harder…yes…"

Alex collapsed on Bobby's heaving chest. Dazed, she raised her head to look at him. He grinned down at her.

"You're a good driver," he said brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Alex couldn't think of a good reply. "Wow," she said.

"Very wow," Bobby replied.

He wrapped his arms and legs around her, and Alex rested content in the cocoon. After a few moments, she heard a faint rumbling. She looked at Bobby.

"Was that you?" she asked.

He smiled sheepishly. "Uh…yeah…I'm a little hungry, I guess."

Alex untangled her body from Bobby's. "C'mon…I'll buy you breakfast. We can share the shower."

Bobby leaned on one elbow. "I thought I brought you breakfast," he said mischievously.

"Brunch then," Alex said.

"Ok," Bobby said. He paused for a moment.

"Alex," he said shyly, his fingers tracing patterns on her shoulder, "I…I've never been…" He glanced at her. "So happy…thank you."

She hugged him and they held each other.

"C'mon…my stomach will start rumbling too," Alex said.

She was almost at the bathroom door when she turned.

"Hey, did you sleep ok? I thought I heard you get up…"

"Just…had to go to the bathroom…" Bobby said.

"Ok," Alex replied and turned.

She didn't see Bobby rub the back of his head.

End Chapter ONE


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Standard

"It's a good thing," Alex said as she stirred her coffee, "that we ran out of hot water, or we'd still be in that shower."

Bobby grinned at her over the top of the newspaper. "I can think of worse places to be."

"And how would we explain our turning into prunes?" Alex answered.

Bobby snorted, and folded the newspaper. He fiddled with his fork and knife.

"Alex?"

"H-m, yea?" She had picked up the sports section

"How do we…do we need to talk about…work and us and stuff?"

Alex stared out the restaurant window for a moment.

"Oh, I don't know," she said. "What I'd like to do is stand in the middle of Times Square and scream to the world that Bobby Goren loves me and I love him, but that doesn't strike me as terribly practical."

A smile swept Bobby's face.

"I'd like to do the same thing," he said softly. "But I suspect we'd need to clean out our desks before we did." He fingered his silver ware again.

"Look," Alex leaned forward to emphasize her point, "I think we're both professional enough that we won't let the personal things reach the job, and if it does…" She paused, not wanting to finish the thought.

"We'll have to let the professional partnership end," Bobby said softly.

Alex sipped her coffee.

"You've already thought this out, haven't you?" She studied Bobby.

"Some," he answered softly. "I want you to know, Alex…whatever happens…I'll do everything I can to keep it from hurting you."

"Hey, I went into this with my eyes open," Alex replied. "What about you?"

For several moments, Bobby's attention focused on the traffic outside the restaurant. He turned back to Alex with the air of someone who had made a difficult decision.

"This is the best job I've ever had…you're the best person I've ever worked with…" he said. "But I can do different things…I'm not as tied to the department as you are…and…even after just one night…I know just being with you…you…it's more important…than the job."

Alex leaned across the table to take Bobby hand.

"Nice of you to sacrifice yourself," she said.

Bobby shook his head but didn't try to take his hand away.

"No, that's not it…I'm not being a martyr here, Alex…It just seems to make sense to me." He paused. "And you…you could be Chief of Detectives someday…you may even want to be Chief of Detectives someday…Me? I just want to catch bad guys…I'm probably as high as I'll ever get…and as high as I ever want to be…"

"I doubt that," Alex smiled at him. "I've got too big a mouth to get that high…but I appreciate your high estimate of my abilities."

Bobby gripped her hand. "You…you could be anything, Alex. And I…I don't want to be the cause of keeping you from anything…" He looked away. "That sounds sorta egotistical, doesn't it?"

Alex let her other hand grip Bobby's. "Maybe, or really sweet. Probably both."

The waitress appeared with more coffee. She smiled at them both.

"We're certainly not hiding anything from her," Bobby said as she left.

"We can't hide all the time…it'd take too much energy," Alex said.

"Look," Alex said, "here's what I think, ok?"

Bobby nodded.

"I'm not that worried about the professional implications…half the office thinks we're sleeping together already…"

"Who…how dare they…" Bobby straightened.

"Bobby…it's true now…" Alex said gently.

Bobby studied his coffee. "Yea," he admitted.

"I suspect," Alex said, "if we just go on, not say anything, no one will notice anything…Deakins doesn't want to know…as long as we keep our solve rate high and do our jobs, I don't think we'll be questioned. And if anything happens, we'll deal with it then, ok?"

Bobby took a deep breath. "Yea, I can more than live with that."

"What worries me," Alex said, "is that our feelings for each other…that they might…we might lose our objectivity…our…" She stopped and began playing with her fork.

Bobby lifted her hand to his lips.

"I know…I've never…I know I get pretty oblivious to everything else when I'm on a case…I don't know what it's going to be like…but we have to promise each other that if this…us…get in the way of our jobs, we have to give something up. And I don't want to give you up."

Alex sighed. "Ok. I promise."

"I promise, too." Bobby released her hand.

A weight had lifted, and Alex and Bobby sat in quiet comfort.

"Speaking of work," Alex said after some time, "we're on call today, right?"

"Yea," Bobby answered. "And I've got my cell on. But, heaven forbid, we get a call, I'm going home to change. I'm not visiting a crime scene in this suit."

Alex grinned at him. "You look good enough that a corpse might come back to life."

He smiled at her.

Bobby's cell phone rang. He pulled it out, checked the number, and sighed.

"Deakins?" Alex asked.

"Deakins," Bobby replied.

"Looks like we're going by your apartment," Alex said as Bobby answered his phone.

Miguel Ortiz must have been handsome in life, but spending three days in the East River would spoil even Orlando Bloom's features. Alex was relatively cold blooded when it came to bodies, but the combined efforts of water, aquatic creatures, and the blunt object that had created a large hole in the back of Mr. Ortiz's head made her wish she hadn't ate quite so large a breakfast.

Aside from his annoyance at the damage the three days in the water had done to the available evidence on Ortiz's body, Bobby seemed unaffected by the disfigured body he was examining. He also appeared unaffected by Alex's close proximity, a fact that both greatly reassured and slightly annoyed Alex. "I don't know whether to be pleased by his professionalism," she thought, "or upset at his ignoring me."

Deciding to be pleased, Alex turned to the nearest uniform. "So," she asked, "what did Mr. Ortiz do to merit the Major Case Squad's attention?"

"Ah, we just thought things were getting too soft for you," the officer replied.

Alex snorted.

"Truth is, Mr. Ortiz is the brother-in-law of the head of one of the Hispanic political coalitions," the officer said. "And it's an election year."

"Yea," Alex said quietly. "What can you tell me about the finding of the body?"

The young officer was efficient and organized, and she had soon described the discovery of Ortiz's body, summarized the testimonies of the handful of witnesses, and given Alex information regarding Ortiz's business and personal contacts. Throughout, she kept an eye on Bobby's examination of the body.

"He's very…meticulous," she said softly to Alex as she handed over her notes.

Alex let a half smile cross her face. "You may get it," she said, "Other cops have other words to describe his methods."

Bobby rose from his examination of the body and quietly took the case notes from Alex. After a moment, he peered over them.

"These are good," he said, looking at the young officer. "Thanks."

The young woman beamed. "Thank you. Could you let me know how this case works out?"

Bobby nodded and turned to speak with a CSU tech.

"We'll let you know," Alex said. "And put in a good word with your boss."

The young officer thanked her with a wave of her hand.

Alex stepped over to Bobby. He stood quietly, deep in thought, with one hand over his mouth. Only his eyes moved, sweeping across the crime scene. Alex knew his mind was performing the mental gymnastics that usually resulted in a perfect landing.

He turned to her, the mental tumbling ended.

"He probably went in the water about 10 miles up. His wallet is still in his pocket, and there's $100 in cash and his credit cards. The wound is too vicious to be random; too messy to be a professional hit. Probably a personal issue. Someone he knew?"

Alex nodded. "Back of the head," she said. "So he trusted them…or thought he had control of the situation."

Bobby returned her nod. "Looks like the classic blunt instrument—a hammer—but we'll know more after we get the ME report." He handed Alex the notes. "Let's check out Mr. Ortiz."

Miguel Ortiz proved to be remarkably ordinary. It appeared he had used his family connections to beat a speeding ticket, and his brother-in-law had introduced him to his current boss. The boss and his coworkers, however, were happy with the introduction and visibly upset by his death.

"He was a good manager," Ortiz's boss told Goren and Eames as they moved around the construction project. "Very reliable—always on time. Took responsibility for his actions. Cared about his crew. I admit I hired him as a favor to Mercardo, but I'm glad I did."

The members of his crew were equally pro-Ortiz.

"Good man," one of them told the detectives. "Always willing to get his hands dirty, help out. He was helping some of the guys get immigration issues settled. I can't imagine anyone hurting him."

As they drove back to the squad room, Bobby and Alex compared notes.

"Well," Bobby said quietly, "the only negative things I found out about Mr. Ortiz were that he was a bit of a clothes horse and he occasionally played the ponies."

"Yea," Alex replied, "but never to excess. Although," she said as she steered the SUV into the garage, "one of the other managers told me he had just started dating someone."

Bobby scribbled a note in his binder and carefully studied one of the case notes.

"We'll need to get his cell records…and talk to his sister…probably the brother-in-law…" Bobby was lost in his thoughts.

Alex parked the SUV and gently touched Bobby on the hand.

"Ok?" she asked.

Surprised, he blinked at her, and then smiled and softly squeezed her hand.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I guess I'm in full chase mode."

"That's ok…actually good," Alex whispered. "We don't want to distract each other too much…"

Bobby ran his thumb over her hand, and Alex shivered. "Only when we want to," he grinned.

"I wish," Alex thought as they rode the elevator, "I could just touch him and fritz out his brain the way he does mine."

They were barely in the squad room before Deakins approached.

"Alfonso and Julia Mercardo are waiting in my office. Please tell me you've got something to tell them," he said.

"Not much yet," Alex replied. "But they can certainly help us."

"Kid gloves," Deakins warned them. "I like you two—I don't want you to lose your pensions, and I don't want to lose mine."

"He's that powerful?" Bobby asked, studying the Mercardos through the office windows.

"One of the great behind the scenes operators…although my experience is that he doesn't throw his weight around much. He made his way up the hard way, hasn't forgot where he came from, and is very protective of his friends and family. Honor is very important to him."

"You like him," Alex said simply.

"Yes," Deakins replied. "At the very least, he's willing to listen to your side of the story."

The captain's voice lowered as the detectives neared his office.

"Mr. Mercardo, Mrs. Mercardo, Detective Eames, Goren. They're heading the investigation of Mr. Ortiz's death."

Alfonso and Julia Mercardo were a handsome couple, although her red eyes marred the quiet beauty of Mrs. Mercardo's face. After the introductions, Bobby took his usual perch in the corner of the room to allow Alex to take the lead in questioning.

"We're sorry for your loss," Alex began.

"Detective Eames," Alfonso Mercardo interrupted. "I do not wish to be rude…but I do want you to know…I…do not wish for special treatment…but at the same time…" He glanced at his wife. "Miguel…he can…could…be exasperating. But…it…was his age…he was a good person…a kind person…"

Julia Mercardo grabbed several tissues from her purse. "My brother," she said softly and in a slightly accented voice, "had his faults, but he was generous…and…Alfonso had found him this job…he was growing up…doing well…"

"Is there anyone, anyone at all, who might have any reason…" Alex began.

Both Mercardos shook their heads.

"I can't think of anyone…of course, Miguel had moved out of our home and gotten his own place recently…and he had his own life…but I can't imagine…" Alfonso Mercardo studied the grain in Deakins' desk.

"We trusted him to watch our children," Julia Mercardo suddenly said.

"Why did he leave your home?" Bobby asked quietly.

The Mercardos, surprised to discover him, turned to Bobby.

"He could," Julia Mercardo said quietly. "He was very proud of it…let me help him decorate it...We still saw him three or four times a week for dinner…breakfast" She sniffled. "I'm sorry…he is…so much younger than me…he is like a son to both me and my husband…"

"Mrs. Mercardo, Mr. Mercardo…" Bobby said, glancing at Alex, "I've an idea…Mrs. Mercardo, why don't you talk to Detective Eames…and I'll speak with you, sir, and we'll get you out of here as quickly as possible."

Roughly thirty minutes later, Bobby and Alex watched as Deakins escorted the Mercardos from the Major Case office.

"So?" Bobby asked Alex.

"Julia Mercardo is…" Alex searched for the best words. "A lady…polite, reserved, devoted to her family. Very respectful of, and, if I'm any judge of it, deeply in love with her husband. Seems to have loved her brother a lot."

Bobby tilted his head slightly. "You like her?"

"Yea," Alex answered. "No sign of a snob, lots of class. And I didn't get any sense that she was afraid of her husband."

Bobby nodded. "I found myself liking Mercardo, too. He's very suave, obviously used to people following his orders, but not too arrogant. And I think he's as devoted to his family as his wife. Although," Bobby raised a hand to his mouth, "he admitted that Miguel could be a handful…apparently why his wife's family sent him to live with his sister. But Mercardo stressed that Miguel had gotten his act together recently…he had high hopes for him…"

Alex shuffled the papers on her desk. "Dare we hope this was a robbery gone wrong?"

Bobby gave her a wan smile. "I doubt it."

And there the investigation stalled. Bobby and Alex scanned the coroner and crime scene reports with laser like intensity; they interviewed every person Miguel Ortiz had ever met; and they met frequently and frustratingly with Alfonso and Julia Mercardo. The meetings were not frustrating because of the Mercardos' efforts to influence, hinder or push the investigation, but because of their appreciation of the detectives' efforts and their polite attitudes towards them. As other cases descended on them and their relationship deepened, the case remained open in a corner of their files and minds. Alex briefly feared that Bobby might take their failure to break the case an ominous sign for their personal relationship; Bobby feared Alex might take the failure as an ominous sign for their professional partnership. The fears, if not the frustrations, lessened with time.

"Look," Deakins said to them at one meeting, "even you can't bat a thousand…just keep working on it and hope you get a break."

And they did get a break, one with devastating results.

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

An interlude before the storm. A fairly graphic one, too.

Chapter 3

Alex unlocked her apartment door, opened it, and left her coat on the hook just behind it. She turned to take Bobby's coat, but found him still standing in the hall. One large hand rested on the back of his neck, and he was deep in thought.

"Hey, Goren…you're letting the heat out of my apartment…my bills are high enough already." Alex reached out and gently took his free hand.

"Alex…maybe…maybe I shouldn't…tonight…" Bobby's voice was tentative.

"Hey, you just bought me dinner…I owe you some coffee at least." Alex smiled at him.

Bobby slowly stepped in the apartment. "It's just," he said as he let her take his coat, "I haven't been very good company tonight…"

"What is it?" Alex asked in a matter of fact tone.

Bobby wrapped a hand around his neck. "It…it's work…it's not you," he added quickly. "You're wonderful…but I can't…"

Alex reached around him. "Well, I'm glad I'm wonderful…look, be honest…just tell me what's the trouble…"

Bobby let his head rest on top of Alex's. "It's the Ortiz case…I was going over the case files…and I can't figure out what I'm missing." He pulled away and looked at Alex. "Look…am I… violating some rule here…talking about a case…"

Alex pulled him gently into her apartment and locked the door behind him. "I don't think so…at least not in here…" She paused in the living room, and then pulled him along the hall. "And not here…" She stopped before the bedroom. "But maybe in here…" She pushed the door opened and turned.

Bobby took her in his arms and kissed her. Pulling away, he grinned at her. "But this is ok?" He tickled her ribs.

"Bobby," Alex giggled. "Stop it…or at least let me get some of my clothes off."

Bobby paused in his tickling of Alex's ribs. "You need to move faster, "he laughed in her ears.

"Me?" Alex asked as she wiggled out of his arms. "You haven't even started getting your clothes off." She flopped down on her bed and smiled seductively at Bobby.

Bobby grinned at her and started to discard his jacket. Alex flicked on the CD player next to her bed, and the sounds of Howlin' Wolf extolling the virtues of his mo-jo filled the room.

Bobby's grin grew wider. "Didn't know you were a blues fan, Alex."

"Oh, there's a few things you don't know about me, detective," Alex purred suggestively, and unbuttoned her blouse.

Bobby's eyes widened and blinked. He cocked his head in thought for a moment. He let his jacket drift down his shoulders and arms, and then twirled it like a matador's cape in time to the music. Bobby slipped his shoes, and then, hopping in time to the music, reached down and pulled off his socks. Alex giggled.

"Think that's funny, do you Ms. Eames?" Bobby looked up at her with half raised eyes. He slipped his tie loose, and snapped it at her.

Laughing, Alex fell back on her bed. Bobby was over her in a moment, his knees on either side of her legs. He grabbed her arms and lifted them over her head. Alex's laugh caught in her throat as Bobby quickly looped his tie over her wrists and through the headboard. Her hands flexed against the soft silk, and she gasped as Bobby leaned forward to claim her mouth in a deep, tender and savage kiss. He lifted his head to look at her.

"Do you want me to stop…to let you go?" he breathed against her skin.

Alex corralled her scattering thoughts. "No…no…" she gasped.

Bobby rose from the bed and discarded his shirt. He twirled it, and let it fall across Alex's face. Alex caught a tantalizing and tempting whiff of detergent, cologne, and Bobby. She planted her feet on the bed and groaned.

"You must really want me, Alex, if my shirt can do that to you." Bobby's voice was both sweet and teasing.

"Two can play at this game," Alex thought. She knew she could get loose if she wanted to. She strained against the tie and pushed her body off the bed.

It was Bobby's turn to groan. Flushed, breathing more heavily, he finished unbuttoning Alex's blouse in time to the music. Bobby pressed kisses to her stomach and worked his way up to nuzzle her breasts through her bra. A hand slipped behind her to loosen her bra, and Bobby's hands moved to gently fondle and probe her breasts. His touches were hot and cool at the same time, and Alex moaned and writhed beneath them.

Bobby rose again from the bed. He pulled his belt from his pants and a "sn-n-nick" sound resulted. He drew the belt across Alex's bare stomach, and she involuntarily recoiled from the leather. The cool metal buckle rested on the bare flesh, and Alex trembled. Bobby shed his pants and stared down at Alex.

Alex gripped the soft silk around her wrists. "I know," she said with a confidence that surprised her, "that you won't hurt me."

Bobby's eyes glowed at her and he reached to remove her slacks and underwear. He stepped out of his boxers with welcome speed and draped himself over Alex. She felt his cock press insistently against her stomach as Bobby kissed and nuzzled her throat. Straining against her bonds, Alex tried to return the kisses. Bobby laughed against her throat.

"Oh, no, my dear," he whispered. "This is for you."

He spread kisses up and down her body until Alex thought fire would consume her. "Please, Bobby," she moaned, "please…I can't …please…"

Bobby lifted himself. He hovered over her, and Alex could see nothing but his face.

"What, Alex? What do you want me to do? Tell me…"

"Please…Bobby…please…." Alex arched upwards. She needed his touch, any touch, any contact with him.

Bobby struggled to control himself. He was torn between having Alex Eames trembling and writhing at his command or plunging inside her.

"Please…please fuck me, Bobby…" Alex rarely approached anything close to dirty talk, but she was beyond reason or politeness.

"Who am I," Bobby said huskily, "to deny such a plea?" He rose, and slipped into Alex, who responded with a deep moan.

"Baby," Bobby gasped in her ear. "Did I…"

Alex arched against him. "Shut up…More," she cried. "Fuck me…yes…please…Bobby…"

Bobby shut up and obeyed.

They were both so close that Bobby and Alex fell into their orgasms in a few moments. Bobby came back first, and cautiously raised himself to look down at Alex.

"Alex…baby?" he whispered. He reached up and released her hands. Alex blinked up at him and slowly lowered her arms. Her eyes were dazed and far away.

Remorse and fear flooded Bobby's mind. "Alex…please…are you all right?" His hands hovered over her body.

Alex blinked and smiled at him. Relief washed over Bobby, and he let his head fall on Alex's tummy. She weaved her fingers in and out of his hair.

"Hey," she murmured. "Get up and let me get naked too."

Bobby eased out of her arms and helped her discard her shirt and bra. He stared at her and let a hand trail softly down her neck, across her breasts, and rest on her stomach. Alex glowed with after sex contentment.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered reverently.

Alex cupped his chin in her hand. "So are you."

He stretched out beside her. "I'm sorry…it's so hard for me to separate things…"

Her thumb played across his face. "I know…but I know you're trying…and it means a great deal to me." Alex yawned. "Let's get some sleep now…maybe things will be clearer in the morning." She turned to the CD Player, shut it off, and set the alarm.

Alex turned back to see Bobby drifting into sleep. "I love you," he murmured as he moved towards her.

"I love you," she whispered as she wrapped an arm around her.

Alex watched as Bobby moved deeper into sleep. "I hope…maybe…he won't dream…tonight…" she thought as her mind drifted.

End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Alex," Bobby waved a file as she left the elevator. "We've got something on the Ortiz case."

"Just a minute, Bobby…I need caffeine." Alex headed towards the coffeemaker, followed by a nearly dancing Bobby. "How," she thought, "can he have so much energy…particularly when he had such bad dreams last night?"

"It's a report…remember that speeding ticket Ortiz had fixed?" Bobby wasn't waiting for Alex to finish pouring sugar into her coffee. "Well, the car got another speeding ticket two days ago…but another driver…Maria Vargas…the car actually belonged to her…"

Alex paused in the stirring of sugar into her coffee. "Girlfriend?"

Bobby nodded. "I managed to call Julia Mercardo…the name wasn't unfamiliar to her…but she hadn't met Ms. Vargas…"

They were walking in step to their desks. They sat down, and Alex took a long drink. "You find out anything about her?" she asked.

Bobby nodded. "She worked as a temp at the construction company where Ortiz worked…she's got a full time job now…I was able to catch her before she left this morning…she lives in Queens with her sister and her two kids…she and Ortiz had just started going out when he was killed…"

"That's why we didn't know about her…" Alex said softly. "But what about the car?"

"She'd lent it to Ortiz…said that's the main reason he wanted to get the ticket taken care of…he didn't want it on her record…" Bobby flipped open his leather binder. "She said her nephew isn't feeling well today…she's coming home at lunch to check if her sister needs anything, and she'd be happy to talk to us…she doesn't think she knows anything, but she's certainly willing to talk to us…"

"Why didn't we find her before…or she come to us?" Alex asked.

"She told me they were still at the start of their relationship…And when it began they were still co-workers…" Bobby looked at Alex. "I think," he spoke softly, "we can relate to that…"

Alex nodded. "You think she's telling the truth?"

"Certainly sounded like it…this may be a dead end, but talking to her will get us out of the office…and I'll buy you lunch…"

Alex grinned. "At one of the lavish dining establishments in Queens?"

He smiled back at her. "All of matter of where you're looking, Eames."

It was a grey day with the temperature hovering just above freezing. "The sort of day," Alex thought, "when the world seems to have a cold." As she drove, she glanced occasionally over at Bobby, who was intently studying a report. Since they had been together, he seemed to be sleeping a little better. More times than not, he now remained naked and sleeping in her arms after they made love, and Alex loved to wake up cocooned in his arms or with Bobby resting in hers. He still had dreams, however—dreams, that as far as Alex could tell, must be truly horrible. He had, stuttering and stammering, told her a little about them, and the brief descriptions had left Alex with nightmares of her own.

Alex negotiated a lane change easily. "Ok over there?"

Bobby looked up. "Uh…yea…fine."

"You get enough sleep last night?"

"Yea, well after…" He gave her a shy and wicked grin.

Alex took a deep breath and decided to approach Bobby's walls. "You…seemed to have some bad dreams last night…"

There was a long pause, and Alex feared Bobby wouldn't answer.

"Yea…the first in a while." Bobby finally answered. He stared at his binder for a moment. "I…I…it's…been better…since I've…you…we've been together." He glanced at her. "You…you…keep them away."

"Glad to be of help," Alex replied cheerfully. "Seriously, Bobby…you can tell me…I'm here."

Bobby struggled for a moment. "I…I know…but…" He took a deep breath. "It's just that…some of it…it's bad enough to have to go through some of them…and to talk about them after…and make someone else go through them…and someone I love…" He shuddered. "I…I …"

Alex took advantage of a stop light to grip Bobby's hand. "It's ok…just know I'm here."

He squeezed her hand in return. "I do," he said softly and firmly. He looked at the addresses on the street. "We're almost there…"

They pulled up in front of a small but neat shotgun house at the end of the street. Like the other houses in the neighborhood, it was worn but well-cared for, with a tiny but well manicured lawn. Pots of orange, yellow and white mums competed for space with four jack-o-lanterns on the small porch. In spite of the cold and damp, Bobby felt a warm contentment as he and Alex stepped from the SUV. Part of this feeling, he knew, came from a possible opening in a frustrating case, but most of it from being close to Alex, from knowing that at last there was someone in his life that he could trust, he could love, and who loved him.

Alex and Bobby strode up the stairs to the porch. A skeleton decorated the screen door, and Bobby paused.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

He pointed to the skeleton in answer. It had been shredded at several points.

"The door…it's open…" Alex whispered. She pulled her radio out and softly called for backup.

"Could be nothing," Bobby said as she finished. "Could be they just expect us…"

Alex nodded, but placed her hand on her gun. Bobby pulled his coat back and rested his hand on his gun as well. He knocked on the door with his binder.

"Ms. Vargas?" Bobby called. He cautiously pushed the door open with his binder. "Ms. Vargas…it's Detective Goren from the NYPD…are you here?"

Bobby glanced at Alex. She slid her gun out of its holster; Bobby pulled his and walked into the house. He looked behind the door and checked around the room. Alex followed him. Bobby turned to her.

"There doesn't…"

A scream echoed in Bobby's ears, followed by a bright, red flash of sickening pain. A terrible darkness took him.

End Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Stop screaming," Bobby thought. "It hurts…please…" He blinked and groaned. His head hurt terribly, and something wet was dripping on his face.

"Get up…fucking cop! Get up!" A boot landed hard in Bobby's side. He groaned and tried to roll away, but a cold piece of metal against his head stopped him.

"Please," Bobby said in a thick voice. "I'm trying…I'm trying to get up." He staggered up on a knee; the world spun around him.

"What happened?" Bobby thought. "Alex…where's Alex?"

"Please…calm down…" Bobby heard Alex's voice, tight and strained, to his side. He looked up to see her standing in the doorway. Her gun was drawn and held on someone. She was pale and tense and her eyes full of fear and concern.

"Shut up, bitch! I know why you're here…you want to take them away…they're not yours…they're mine!"

Bobby turned to see a wiry young man with wild brown eyes. He held a horribly large shotgun trained on Bobby; just beyond him Bobby could see a small boy and girl huddled against the wall. "That's why…Alex won't shoot…she could hit them…" he thought.

"Stay there!" he screamed at Bobby. "Stay right there!"

Bobby had no desire to move. He felt sick. "How did we get in this?" he thought. "Maria Vargas…the children…are they here…who is this guy?"

"Sir," Alex said in a remarkably calm voice. "Please…put the gun down and we can work this out…"

"No! You get out…or I'll blow his head off!" He jammed the gun against Bobby's head. Bobby tried not to wince.

A terrified looking woman of about thirty emerged from the hallway. "Ruben…please…the children…Maria…"

"Shut up!" Ruben screamed. He stepped back from Bobby.

Bobby swallowed. "Ok," he thought. "First priority, the kids...then any civilians...have to assume at least two...then Alex..." He struggled to keep the image of Alex, hurt and bleeding, out of his mind. "Then me...just try to reach this guy..."

"Ruben," Bobby said softly. "Is that your name?"

"Yea...Ruben Sanchez...like you care." Sanchez kept the gun trained on Bobby.

"And the children, Mr. Sanchez...they're yours?" Bobby's voice was surprisingly calm.

"Yes...and she wants to keep them from me..." Sanchez gestured towards the woman.

"Ruben...please..." the woman pleaded.

"Shut up, bitch...and you..." Sanchez waved the gun at Alex. "Get out...get out!"

Bobby caught Alex's eyes. "Trust me," he thought. "Please...trust me..."

In the distance a police siren sounded.

"Fuck!" Sanchez screamed. "You called more cops!"

"Mr. Sanchez...please." Bobby staggered to his feet. "We had to...we have procedures...we have to follow...you can understand that."

Sanchez stared at him. "You're not taking them...me...away...Maria's boyfriend...he was going to..."

"Miguel Ortiz?" Bobby asked. "He got in the way?"

"Yes...but I took care of him...like I'll take care of you..." He lifted the gun.

Bobby sensed Alex stiffening. "Mr. Sanchez...I think we can understand that...but...this situation...making the violence worse...it's not good..."

Sanchez stared at him. "Get them out...the bitches...get them out...you...the kids stay."

Bobby exchanged a quick look with Alex. He knew she didn't want to leave, but if it got one hostage out, it might be worth it.

"Mr. Sanchez, do you mean all the women...where's Maria?"

"She's back with the children..." the woman said. "Ruben...the babies..."

"Shut up!" Sanchez screamed. "That's the deal...all of you stupid women...poison my children against me...get out...get out! Or I'll kill the children...I swear."

"All right, Mr. Sanchez." Bobby looked at Alex; everything in her body said that she didn't like this. "Just let the women come to Detective Eames, and they can leave...ok?"

Maria Vargas, pale and terrified, emerged from the other room. "Ruben…please…" she said in a tiny voice.

"Shut up…that's the deal…take it or I start shooting!" Ruben leveled the gun at the whimpering boy and girl.

Bobby's head throbbed with pain. The sirens were getting closer; Sanchez was clearly on the verge of exploding. Bobby looked at Alex. He wanted to cry out that he loved her, that she was everything in his life; he wanted to embrace her and get lost in her. He could only hope that his eyes could convey some of what he felt. From the expression in Alex's eyes Bobby saw that she was trying to send him the same message.

"All right, Mr. Sanchez," Bobby said. "Let them go out with Detective Eames."

"Go…go!" Sanchez waved the gun at the women. They started to protest, but Sanchez pointed the gun at the children again. Shaking, crying, they moved behind Alex, who began backing out of the house.

Bobby concentrated on Alex. "Know that I love you," he thought. "I will do anything to stay alive because I love you."

The door clicked shut behind the three women. Sanchez, the gun still trained on the children, backed towards it. "Over there," he rasped at Bobby. "By the kids."

Bobby stumbled over to the children. There was a boy of about five and a girl of roughly nine huddled together against a cabinet. They looked up at Bobby with wide, terrified brown eyes. Bobby felt dizzy and sick; he thought the blow to his head was still bleeding. He glimpsed his binder on the floor. "My gun…where?" he thought. "But even if I find it…I don't know if I…I…it hurts so much…" Bobby blinked and looked down at the children; he bent carefully.

"Hey," he said as gently and calmly as he could, "what're your names?"

"Leave them alone!" Sanchez screamed. "They're mine!" He slammed the gun against Bobby's back; Bobby fell with a groan. "Mine…mine!" Sanchez yelled as he struck Bobby again and again. Bobby tried to curl up in a protective ball, but the blows sent waves of paralyzing pain through his body.

"Gotta help the kids…please, let me see Alex again," he thought before a blessed darkness finally took him.

End Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Pain. Darkness. Nothing but pain and darkness."It's a nightmare," Bobby thought. He tried to move, and was rewarded with waves of pain. He tried to cry out, but something was in his mouth. "It's real," Bobby thought. "Way too real." Pain was everywhere; something was lancing his wrists and ankles. Bobby realized he was bound; the stress on his shoulders and legs suggested that he was hogtied. The gag in his mouth tasted of blood, and the blindfold was damp against his skin. There was rough, cold stone against his cheek. Every breath resulted in a sharp, stabbing pain. He was thirsty and cold, and he fought against the rising sickness in his stomach. "The children," Bobby thought. He tried to remain very still, if only to attempt to minimize the pain. He heard a faint, frightened whimper to his left.

"Ok." Bobby tried to quell the panic rising in him. "They're here…with you." He desperately tried to think in the midst of the pain. "Other police are coming…Alex…Alex is all right…Alex is safe…Alex will help me…Please…let me see her again…if only to tell her how much I love her…"

The thought of Alex renewed Bobby. He began to scrape his face against the stone to try to loosen the tape holding the gag in place. Each move sent waves of pain through Bobby's body; he felt as if every cell in his body was hurting. It seemed to take hours, and Bobby thought he might have passed out once or twice, but he finally worked the tape off and spat out the gag. He lay gasping for a few seconds, and tried to speak. The effort sent him into a wave of coughing; the pain was horrible, and unconsciousness threatened to take him again.

A tiny, terrified voice helped him fight the darkness. "Is…is that the big policeman?"

"Yes…" Bobby gasped. "Who's there?"

"M-m-maria. And my brother Roberto."

Bobby gathered his strength. "Are you…both…all right?"

"Y-y-yes…but we're very cold…and scared."

Bobby could hear soft crying. "Maria…my name is Bobby….Kinda like Roberto's name…Do you think…you could come here and help me?"

"It's….it's hard to see…it's dark…."

"Just follow my voice, ok? And then I'll try to help you and Roberto." Every word hurt Bobby.

Bobby heard shuffling and felt the touch of a small hand.

"Daddy hurt you bad," Maria said. Bobby heard the terror in her voice.

"You…you can help me," Bobby said. "Can you get the blindfold off…and untie me?"

Bobby felt tiny hands grope for his face and then pull off the blindfold. Removing it didn't help his vision a great deal; his right eye was swollen nearly shut, and the room was so dark that he sensed rather than actually saw the two children beside him.

"Thank you," he said. "Can you untie me?"

The tiny fingers fumbled until they found Bobby's wrists.

"I don't know…I can't see…The knot is tight…" The little girl struggled not to cry.

Bobby tried not to cry out in pain. "Just be patient…take it easy…you can do it…"

It took Maria a long time to free Bobby. Sanchez had tied him with rope that cut mercilessly into his wrists and ankles, and at several points the little girl's efforts caused Bobby even greater pain. He struggled not to show any pain and to encourage Maria. She finally managed to unsnap a knot, and Bobby's arms and legs were freed so quickly that the pain from his screaming muscles made him pass out.

"Please…Bobby…wake up…please…don't leave us…please…" The frightened voice pierced the darkness in Bobby's mind. Tiny hands were pushing against him.

"Ok…ok…" Bobby mumbled. He turned his face in the direction of the voice. "Thank you, Maria." He cautiously stretched his arms and legs; they protested, but he could handle the pain. Two tiny, icy hands gripped his left hand.

"Maria…I'm going to try to sit up, ok?" Bobby marveled that his voice sounded so calm and strong.

"Ok…"

Bobby struggled to sit up. For a moment, a wave of sickness came over him, and he fought not to throw up. He leaned against a cold, stone wall, and the children huddled against him. Bobby realized they were both dressed only in their underwear.

"We need to get you warm," Bobby said. "Here, can you help me get my jacket off?"

The children did the best they could to help Bobby slip off his suit jacket, but he still gasped with pain.

"I'm sorry," Roberto said suddenly with tears in his voice.

"It's…it's ok," Bobby answered. "Now, both of you…get this around you…it'll help a little."

"What about you?" Maria whispered. "Aren't you cold?"

"Just get close to me…here…and we'll get each other warmed up." Bobby gingerly wrapped an arm around the children; they clung to him.

"Can…you tell me…where we are?" Bobby asked.

"Basement," Maria replied. "Daddy made us…he…he pushed you down the stairs…he tied you up…and then he broke the light…and left…"

"Daddy's not always like this," Roberto said suddenly. "He's a…a…good daddy when he takes his medicine."

"Mommy says he has schizo something," Maria said. "It's not his fault…he's sick."

Despair swept over Bobby, and he fought against the sobs rising in his chest. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall.

"Bobby! Bobby! Are you all right?" Bobby opened his good eye and found a frightened Maria looking up at him.

"Yes…it's just…my Mommy…she has schizo something too. Your mommy's right—your daddy's sick."

The children clung more tightly to Bobby; he tried not to wince. He attempted to take stock of his injuries. His wrists and ankles were cut and bleeding; his right leg ached horribly, and Bobby feared it might be broken. Every breath hurt him, and he suspected he had at least one or two broken ribs. In spite of his reassuring words to the children, he was terribly cold, and Bobby suspected he might be in danger of going into shock. Finally, there was his head, which pounded in pain and seemed to be covered with blood. "Alex," he thought. "Hold on for Alex…"

"Maria…Roberto…is there a way out of here?" he asked.

"Daddy locked the door at the top of the steps," Maria answered.

"There's a window," Roberto said.

"Where?" Bobby asked.

Roberto touched Bobby's face with a small hand and turned it so that Bobby could see the faint outlines of light.

"I'm going to check it out, ok? Stay here…try to stay warm…" Bobby untangled his body from the children and painfully rose. It took him several minutes to travel the few feet and Bobby nearly fainted but he finally made it to the window. He stripped away the worn cardboard covering it, and dim light filled the room. Bobby could just make out the small indentation outside the window; he looked for some way to open it but couldn't find one. He glanced around the room, but it was painfully empty. "Ok," Bobby thought. He slipped his tie from around his neck and wrapped it around his right hand. "Please let me have enough strength…." He slammed his fist into the window; it cracked and shattered. The wave of cold air helped to keep Bobby from fainting. He swept the bits of glass away as best he could, and then leaned heavily against the wall.

Bobby turned to the children. "Roberto," he said softly. "I need you to be very brave and very strong…you already have been…you can do this…"

Roberto slowly rose and stepped towards Bobby. He stared at him.

"You're hurt…bad…" he said and shivered.

"It's…it's not as bad as it looks," Bobby said. "Listen…do you think you could fit through there…if I lift you…"

Roberto looked up at the window and nodded his head.

"Ok…this is very important…for you…your sister…me…I know it's awfully cold…and try to watch out for the glass…get out…and run to the police…they'll be in front of your house…tell them where Maria and I are…where your Daddy is…"

"I don't…want them…to hurt Daddy…" Tears welled up in Roberto's eyes.

"I don't want them to either," Bobby said. "But he can't hurt you or Maria…"

"You can do this, Roberto. You're brave…and you can climb and run fast." Maria seemed to understand what Roberto needed. Carrying Bobby's jacket, she came over to the window. "This can keep you warm…and keep the glass from cutting you."

Maria helped Bobby wrap the jacket around Roberto. "Just a little more strength," Bobby thought.

"Ready, Roberto?" Bobby asked.

The little boy, swimming in the huge jacket, nodded. Bobby desperately tried to ignore the pain as he lifted Roberto to the window. The boy winced as some of the sharp glass touched him, but he scrabbled through the window and stood up. "I'll get help," he said, and Bobby saw his bare feet disappear.

Bobby slumped against the wall and slid down to the floor. Shivering, Maria curled against him.

They heard a distant cry of dismay and anger, followed by a bang and a blaze of light from the stairs.

"Daddy," Maria whimpered.

End Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Bobby took Maria by the shoulders. "Run…if you get a chance…run," he told her.

"But…you…" she stammered.

"Just run…" Bobby staggered to his feet and used his size to block Maria.

Sanchez, framed by the light, hurled down the stairs. Waving the shotgun, he stopped a few feet from Bobby.

"So, you got loose…and sent my son away."

"Please…Mr. Sanchez…he was afraid…you're frightening your children…" Bobby was waving on his feet, his energy almost gone.

"Where's Maria? Where is she?" Sanchez leveled the gun at Bobby.

"Daddy! No! He's just trying to help us!" Maria bobbed out from behind Bobby.

"Little bitch…just like your mother…" Sanchez hissed.

"Please…Mr. Sanchez…you've got to listen." Bobby knew he couldn't stay on his feet much longer. "Is this what you want your daughter to see…to see you hurting someone?"

Sanchez's grip wavered.

"The police…will be coming soon…don't let them hurt Maria…or you…don't hurt your family more than you already have…please…"

"You sent Roberto away…"

Bobby, keeping Maria behind him, tried to move subtly towards the steps. "He was cold…afraid…I just wanted to protect him…That's why we put my jacket around him…"

The gun was shaking.

"Daddy…he just wants to help us…I don't want them to hurt you…" Maria clung to Bobby's belt and remained just behind him.

"Mr. Sanchez." It took every cell of Bobby's body to concentrate on Sanchez and remain calm. "They're going to come in here…they will hurt you if they have to…please…don't let your daughter's last memory of you be this…."

Bobby and Maria were near the steps now. With his sharp hearing and knowledge of procedure, Bobby knew police were hovering at the doors. He had also caught a glimpse of a figure at the window. "I'm running out of time," Bobby thought.

"Maria!" Sanchez yelled. "Come to me! Now!"

Maria stared at her father and then at Bobby. She shook her head.

"Maria!" Bobby thought Sanchez's voice was less demanding and more desperate.

"Mr. Sanchez, you want to protect your daughter…" Bobby struggled to remain standing.

"Yes…Yes…." Sanchez lowered the gun slightly.

"Please…let her go upstairs…they'll take care of her…my partner will be there…I know she'll take care of Maria…"

Sanchez bit his lip. "I…I want…her to be safe…"

"She will…I promise you…" Bobby's breathing was ragged.

Sanchez lifted the gun and pointed it at Bobby. Bobby's breath stopped. "Please," he thought. "Let me see Alex…just one more time…please…"

"Maria," Sanchez said. "You won't come to me…"

"Daddy," the little girl whimpered. "You're scaring me…"

Bobby breathed again and turned to Maria. "Why don't you start upstairs…and your daddy and I will follow you…"

Maria stared up at him. "But…I don't want…"

"Go on, Maria…your daddy won't hurt you." Bobby looked at Sanchez as he spoke.

Sanchez said nothing but kept the gun trained on Bobby as Maria began climbing the stairs.

"Mr. Sanchez," Bobby said. He wasn't able to keep the pain and fear out of his voice. "I have to tell you…once Maria is upstairs…"

"It'll just be you and me," Sanchez said in a cold voice.

Maria stopped on the stairs. "Please, Daddy…he doesn't want you to get hurt…his mommy is sick like you."

Bobby leaned against the wall for support. Sanchez stared first at him, then Maria.

"Mr. Sanchez," Bobby gasped. "There's at least one shooter at the window…more will be coming down the stairs…please…"

"Why do you tell me this?" Sanchez said. "Don't you want to live?"

"Yes…" Bobby thought of Alex. "Very much. But I don't want you to die."

Sanchez kept the gun trained on Bobby. "Go on upstairs, Maria," he said in a soft, sad voice.

Maria stared at her father and then Bobby. She hurried up the steps. Bobby lurched to the foot of the steps.

"What are you doing?" Sanchez yelled.

"Protecting you," Bobby managed to say. Sanchez looked beyond Bobby; he could see a rifle's muzzle poking from the door to the basement. To the side, he could make out the shadow of another figure at the tiny window; Bobby had managed to place himself in the line of fire.

Sanchez stared at him. "After what I did," he murmured. "What…what should I do?"

Darkness crept at the edges of Bobby's mind. "Put…just put the gun down…then lay on the floor…they…they'll try not to hurt…please, Mr. Sanchez."

It seemed hours before Sanchez knelt, gently placed the gun on the floor, and sprawled on the cold stone. "Like this?" he asked.

"Yes…thank you." Bobby found his last bit of strength. "Clear!" he yelled and slumped to the floor. Darkness and pain claimed him.

End Chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Please…stop…it hurts…too bright…let me sleep…please….too much noise…too many lights…go away…Alex? Alex?..." Bobby tried to twist away from the noise, the light and the pain, but each move sent jolts through his body. The entire New York City Police Department seemed to be marching through his head; voices yelled and screamed his name, and hundreds of hands pushed and prodded him. Finally, he heard one soft, soothing voice and felt warm, gentle hands.

"Bobby…Bobby…please…stay with us…please…"

Bobby forced his left eye open. Alex's face, worried and exhausted, hovered over him.

"A…Alex?" It hurt horribly for Bobby to speak.

"I'm right here." She stroked his cheek and leaned down to hear him. Deakins' face briefly came into focus over her shoulder, and he spoke in a garbled voice.

Bobby forced his voice. "The children?"

Alex gripped his left hand. "Both scared…but all right….Easy, Bobby…"

"The m…mother…Maria Vargas…."

"They're all right, too. Please…"

"Sanchez….don't…don't let them hurt him…he's….ill…he doesn't know…" Bobby gasped for breath.

"They won't…" Alex tightened her grip as Bobby stiffened with a wave of pain.

Bobby stared up at her, taking strength from Alex's eyes. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how the thought of her had kept him alive through the last awful hours, how just seeing her gave him peace, but the pain took away his breath and thoughts. He shivered, and the movement sent more pain rocketing through his body.

A coat appeared, and Alex draped it over him. Bobby became aware of something soft cushioning his head.

"The EMT's are coming," Alex said softly.

"I…I…I'm ruining someone's jacket…" Bobby murmured.

"Deakins told me he always hated that one…he can write it off." Alex tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it failed to hide her fear. She had just spent the worst hours of her life, desperately waiting to learn if her lover was alive or dead. She had left him only because she could see no other way to get Mrs. Sanchez and Maria Vargas out of the house and to keep Sanchez from killing Bobby and the children. Even as her mind calmly and professionally told here she was doing the right thing, Alex's body and soul screamed for Bobby as she escorted the two women to safety. The hours of waiting had been made worse by the fact that she couldn't show how frightened and terrified she was. Alex had painfully learned that the force that ruled the universe (which, in spite of the intervening years and experience, still resembled the white bearded, majestic God of the nuns who taught her in elementary school) did not respond to bargains and gambles. Still, she had paced up and down, all the while thinking, "Please…please keep him save…don't let him die…take care of him…take care of the children…please…just let me be able to touch him…to tell him how much I love him…" She knew Bobby was badly hurt before she left the house, but she hoped Sanchez hadn't resorted to more violence and that Bobby's head injury might be one of those that looked worse than it actually was. The sight of Roberto Sanchez, swimming in Bobby's bloody jacket and running towards her, stopped her heart. The terrified little boy's description of his father's actions and Bobby's wounds sank her heart like a lead anchor. She entered the house just behind the tactical group, and Alex's heart fell deeper as Maria Sanchez ran into her arms and wept how Bobby had saved her. Alex huddled with other officers as Bobby argued with Sanchez. "If he'd only get out of the way, we'd have a clean shot," one of the officers had whispered, but Alex knew Bobby would sacrifice himself for nearly anyone, including a man he thought innocent in his troubled mind if not in his actions.

Her heart leaped when she heard Bobby yell, "Clear!" "He's all right," she thought as she rushed down the stairs. It fell as Alex heard one of the cops ahead of her mutter "Oh, my God." Bobby lay at the bottom of the stairs; his hair matted with blood. His right eye was black, blue, and several ugly colors Alex couldn't name; both of his wrists were oozing blood. Scratches and cuts marked his face; and each breath seemed to take an enormous effort. Alex fought the urge to embrace Bobby, to cry out how much she loved him, how he had to live for her as much as for him. Instead, she knelt beside him, took his hand, and tried to will him to consciousness.

"I…I'm…sorry," Bobby whispered.

"What for?" Alex answered.

"I…walked us…into this…I…sent…you…away…"

"Bobby…you did…what you thought best…you saved the children…everyone." Alex caressed his hand.

Deakins dropped beside Alex. "Bobby," he said. "Hang on…the EMTs are here…" The captain touched Bobby softly on the shoulder. "You did the right thing…I don't think anyone else could have gotten out of this as well as you did…" Deakins gently but firmly pulled Alex away from Bobby to let the paramedics in to do their work.

"Bobby," Alex called. "I'm here…I'm right here." Bobby's open eye found her.

"I don't know how he's still conscious, let alone how he managed to help the kids and talk Sanchez into giving up," Deakins said. "Stay with him, Alex---I'll be at the hospital as soon as I can."

The EMTs managed to get Bobby on the stretcher, but it was difficult, even with the help of several cops, to maneuver him up the steep stairs. At one point, Bobby cried out in pain; Alex winced.

"I…I'm sorry," Bobby whispered. "It…was…"

"It's all right, detective," one of the EMTs replied soothingly. "You've got the right…"

A cold, driving rain fell as they left the house. The headlights and spotlights cut through the black night; the police and ambulance lights pulsed red and yellow. Alex noticed that several of the mums on the porch had been turned over and two of the jack-o-lanterns were smashed. As the EMTs prepared to Bobby into the ambulance two tiny figures broke through the crowd.

"Bobby," they called out.

"Let me…" Bobby whispered, "Talk to them…"

The EMTs tried to protest, but the children managed to squirm past the adults. Wide-eyed, they stared at Bobby.

Bobby marshaled strength he didn't know he had. "It's worse than it looks," he told Roberto and Maria. "I'll be ok."

Both children were crying.

"You saved us," Maria said. "And you didn't let Daddy get hurt…"

Bobby raised his head; Alex thought it was one of the bravest things she'd ever seen.

"You…both of you…you were very brave…very good…remember, your daddy didn't mean to hurt anyone, ok?" Bobby's voice was soft but calm. "You come visit me in the hospital, all right?"

The children nodded; an officer gently guided them away.

His strength gone, Bobby fell back on the stretcher.

End Chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Here…drink this…you need it…"

Alex looked up at Captain James Deakins; he held a large cardboard cup. She automatically took it from him and sipped the dark liquid. She studied the cup.

"It's real coffee," she said.

"Yea," Deakins said sipping from his own cup. "Someone's wised up and put actual coffee in the coffee at this hospital." He paused. "He'll be all right, Alex. He's big and tough and strong…He'll be all right."

Alex thought her captain was attempting to convince himself that Bobby was going to be ok as much as he was trying to comfort her.

"You ok?" Deakins asked.

Alex gave him a weak smile. "About the same as when you asked me five minutes ago."

"Sorry," Deakins said. He stared down the hall. "I've been a cop for nearly thirty years…you never get used to this…"

Alex leaned forward. "My dad always says that if you get used to this sort of thing, it's time for you to stop."

"Your dad is a wise man…and a good cop," Deakins answered. He sat the coffee cup on a table. "I'm going to the nurse's station…see if there's any news."

Alex nodded, closed her eyes, and leaned back against the couch. The slow moving clocks all said it had been a little more than three hours since Bobby had arrived at the hospital; Alex felt as if several days had passed. Bobby drifted in and out of consciousness during the seemingly unending ambulance ride. The EMT was blessedly efficient and said all the right things, but Alex could tell by her expression that she was worried about Bobby. When he was conscious and not fighting the terrible pain, Bobby muttered about Sanchez and the children and called for Alex. "Suicide watch," he whispered at one point. "Put Sanchez on it." As he was about to be rushed into the hospital, Bobby grabbed Alex's hand. "The kids…make sure they get help…"

Alex leaned over him. "I will…" She put her mouth to his ear. "I love you," she whispered.

"I know…I love you," he whispered back. And they swept him away.

Alex looked around the small hospital waiting room. The underground communication links of the NYPD were as efficient as ever; police officers, on and off duty, appeared at the hospital only moments after Bobby disappeared into the examination room. Alex knew that many of them were filling the hospital's blood supply; she also knew that most of them would usually be comforting the family of an injured officer. But Bobby…Bobby had no family, or at least no family that would wait for him in a hospital. "I'm it," she thought. "I'm the family…and no one can know…" She stared at her feet.

"Detective Eames?"

Slightly startled, Alex looked up into the sad eyes of Alfonso Mercardo. She started to rise.

"No…please…may I?" He gestured towards a chair.

"Of course," Alex said, although she desperately wanted to be alone.

Mercardo sat heavily across from her. In spite of her exhaustion and pain, Alex could clearly see that he appeared to be very upset.

"I can not tell you how sorry I am about what happened to Detective Goren," Mercardo began. "I know police partnerships…they are very close…and I've sensed that you and he are friends as well."

Alex nodded. "And a great deal more," she thought.

"The Sanchezes…Ruben's father was a good friend to me before he died…and I know his wife very well…" Mercardo leaned forward. The suave politician had almost completely disappeared, replaced by a troubled man who desired understanding and forgiveness. "I had tried to help her…and Ruben…please understand…I never thought Ruben was capable of murder…he's very ill…but he's never been violent…he loves the children very much…his doctors are trying to discover what happened…I didn't know Miguel was dating Maria Vargas…or that she was living with her sister and Ruben…" Mercardo rubbed his eyes and looked at Alex. "Other officers…they told me Detective Goren protected Ruben…even after what he did…and the children…"

Alex bit her lip. "Yes," she said, surprised at how calm she sounded. "Even in the ambulance…he wanted to be sure they were all taken care of…"

Mercardo shook his head. "Detective Goren," he said softly, "must be an exceptional man…"

"He is." Alex felt an overwhelming desire to absolve this man of his perceived sins. "He…understands…his mother…is schizophrenic."

Mercardo digested the information for a moment. "This…must have been even more terrible for him." He stood up. "Detective Eames, if there is anything I can do…please let me know…I owe you and Detective Goren a great deal…I do not forget my friends." He touched her gently on the shoulder.

Alex watched as Mercardo strolled away. He met Deakins, and the two men briefly spoke before shaking hands and separating.

"You and Bobby," Deakins said as he stepped before Alex, "have made a very good friend."

Alex stared at the table. "He's…a good man, but he can't help Bobby right now."

Deakins sat across from her. "The nurses don't know anything yet…but they think he should be out of surgery soon…"

"They…they're upset with me," Alex said. She tightly gripped her coffee. "I…I made a scene…they weren't going to let me stay with him…said I was just his partner…"

Deakins leaned forward. "It's all right, Alex…they understand…they do…."

"No," Alex thought. "They don't…you don't…and I can't tell you so you can…"

"This must be awful for you, Alex…too many bad memories…" Deakins touched her gently on the hand.

"Yea," Alex said and stared deeply into her coffee. The wait was eerily and horribly like the vigil she kept when her husband was shot. But then, at least, she could weep; she could sit by his bedside; she could claim her rights as the young wife. She had no such claims on Bobby; they—whoever they might be—could keep her away from him. "No," Alex thought, "they can't…I'll fight them…I'll tell them everything…but I will not let him be alone in this…"

Deakins' voice broke in on her thoughts. "It'll be all right now, Alex…I've told them you're about as much family as Bobby has…I'm his medical representative…sorta by default…"

"I…I've never thought about that," Alex said. "Not since I signed the papers for the department…I should check on that…"

"I don't think Bobby's thought about it much since then…and I doubt many cops have…as dangerous as our jobs are, none of us talk about the possibilities…" Deakins fell silent.

Alex stared down the hallway and tried to will the doctors to come. In the past months she and Bobby had danced in the glow of their new love, or rather their new expressions of that love. While they were both painfully aware of the pressures on, pains of, and potential pitfalls of their relationship, it seemed a sacrilege to allow any discussion of the dangers of the job to darken that glow. "We are what we do," Alex thought. "It's part of why we love each other…I can't ask Bobby not to be Bobby, and he can't ask me not to be me…I can't ask him to be less than he is…but can I love him enough to know that I could lose him?"

"Captain Deakins? Detective Eames?" Alex and Deakins looked up at a very young doctor. He waved for them to remain sitting and took a chair.

"Mr. Goren is out of surgery…he came through well and should be in his room very soon…" Alex fell back against the couch; Deakins released a deep breath. "His injuries," the doctor continued, "weren't quite as bad as we initially feared…he doesn't have a skull fracture; his kidneys aren't damaged…but he does have a concussion…one lung was collapsed…he has four broken ribs…his right shoulder was dislocated…and he has several torn muscles in his right leg…and he has deep cuts on his wrists and ankles…"

"He's going to be ok?" Deakins asked. Alex found that she couldn't trust her voice.

"We'll need to keep an eye out for infections—particularly as far as his lungs are concerned. And he's going to be weak for a while…but I can give you a cautious yes." The doctor looked at them. "He should be in his room in a couple of minutes. It would be a good thing if someone could be with him when he wakes up."

"He will," Alex answered firmly.

There was pain and darkness again, but the pain seemed far away or to belong to someone else. There was something covering his mouth, but Bobby found he could move his jaw. His arms felt heavy, but they weren't restrained. Bobby blinked, and bright light flooded his mind.

"Bobby." Alex's soft voice broke on the edges of his mind. "It's ok…you're in the hospital." He felt her hand rest on his arm; he tried to speak.

"Take it easy…you've got an oxygen mask on." Alex's sea green eyes were focused on him. "Just nod for now, ok?"

Bobby nodded slowly; his head felt as if it were wrapped in mounds of cotton. He realized it felt that way because it WAS wrapped in mounds of cotton.

"The children…Sanchez…his wife…Maria Vargas," Alex said as calmly as she could. "They're all right…in fact, you're the only person who got hurt…" She gave him a quick and comforting smile. He tried to return the smile, and received a jolt of pain for his efforts.

"Easy…easy." Alex pressed his arm. "But you got enough hurt for everyone…you've got a concussion…a shoulder was dislocated…you have some torn muscles and some broken ribs…but if you take it easy, you're going to be ok."

Relief flooded Bobby. He gestured at the oxygen mask.

"No way, buddy…you're supposed to rest…"

Bobby winced as he reached for the mask. Alex gently pushed his hand down. "All right," she said. "But just a moment." She pulled the mask away.

"I…love you…so much…knew I'd be all right…I'm sorry…had to…" Bobby struggled. Alex gently let the mask fall back in place.

"I know…I love you too…now rest…rest…" She rubbed her hand against his cheek until he drifted into sleep.

Alex gripped Bobby's hand. She rested her head on the edge of his bed and finally allowed tears to flow down her cheeks.

The next weeks, if not the worst of Alex's life, certainly approached the bottom ranks. There was an inquiry, of course, unfortunately led by a captain from a suburban station who apparently had axes to grind against her, Bobby, Deakins, Major Case, and anyone else who had ever spoken to him in the wrong tone of voice. His campaign didn't get far; Bobby and Alex had played everything by the book, and Deakins stood up for them and called in a few favors. There was another possible factor as well. While waiting outside yet another bland conference room to tell her story to yet another group of bureaucrats Alex met Alfonso Mercardo. He asked about Bobby and her. "Don't worry," he whispered to her. "This will be over soon and you and Detective Goren will be fine." The next day a smiling Deakins greeted Alex as she entered the office.

"It's over, finally," he told her. "It never should've started, of course, but it's over and you and Bobby will be receiving commendations."

The investigation, at least, occupied her time. Alex now filed endless reports, assisted other detectives, and revisited old cases. It was mind and soul numbing work. And, although she saw him every day in the hospital, she missed Bobby. She missed him handing coffee to her and wrestling with the copier. She missed him stealing croutons from her salad and arguing over the Santa mug. She missed him irritating Carver and exasperating Deakins. She missed him kissing her and setting her body on fire with his hands. She missed him cocooning her with his arms and legs and keeping her safe. She missed his brown eyes looking at her with gentle amusement or deep concern. She missed his sound, his touch, his smell. After three nearly sleepless nights, Alex went to Bobby's apartment and rummaged through his laundry. She brought one of his dress shirts home, wrapped it around an extra pillow, and cried herself to sleep that night while she clung to it.

"You look tired," Bobby said to her one evening as she visited him in the hospital. "Are you getting enough sleep?"

Alex tried to stifle a yawn. "Ah, it's just all the boring paperwork they've got me doing."

"Hey," Bobby said stretching a hand out to touch hers, "you take care of yourself…What'll we do if I'm hurt and you're sick?"

"Lay in bed all day?" she purred.

He gave her a quick smile. "Yea, and we wouldn't be able to enjoy it." The smile disappeared. "Seriously, Alex…are you ok?"

"It's just…" She decided to tell Bobby the truth. "I…I miss you. It's hard to sleep without you."

For once Bobby didn't take refuge in a glib answer. "I…I miss you too. It's a big part of why…I'm not sleeping real well either." His thumb caressed hers.

Alex stood up; Bobby looked at her in surprise. She walked to the door, shut it, and placed a chair against it.

"Alex?"

She sat softly on the edge of the bed. "I…just need you," she said simply. She wrapped her arms carefully around Bobby; he responded by taking her in his arms. They sat, Bobby's head resting next to hers, for several moments. They breathed in rhythm and felt as if they knew every muscle and bone of the other.

"Oh, Alex…I miss you so much…it hurts…almost as much as my ribs." Bobby felt Alex's smile against his neck. "I…I want to make love to you…but I'm still a little sore…weak…as soon as I'm well…"

Alex smile turned into a grin. "I thought guys…"

Bobby snorted. "Maybe twenty-five year old guys…Us middle aged men…"

"You need to get well, then."

"I will," Bobby breathed into her hair. "I will…"

They held each other for several moments, each reveling in the other's touch. Each of Bobby's breaths comforted Alex; just to know that he was alive and safe thrilled her. His recovery hadn't been without its problems. There was some nerve and muscle damage to his right hand and his right knee which required therapy; he had developed a mild case of pneumonia in his collapsed lung. He now seemed to be well on his way home, but Alex held her breath every time she approached the nurse's station.

"Look," Alex said. "Let's promise each other to try to take care of ourselves, ok?"

"Ok."

A tentative knock sounded at the door.

"Damn," Bobby said. "I haven't felt this good in a long time."

Alex gently untangled from his arms. "Me neither."

She moved the chair and opened the door.

"I'm sorry," the young nurse said. "But Mr. Goren has some special visitors down in the lounge…they can't come to his room, but I think he'd like to see them."

Alex helped the nurses bundle a mildly grumbling Bobby into a wheelchair. "I hope," he told Alex, "this is not some political appointee looking for a photo op." Alex gave a half smile. The number and variety of Bobby's visitors had surprised both of them. Some were apparently friends or would-be friends of Alfonso Mercardo; some were politicians (Alex had observed with some amusement that Bobby's schedule often included previously unnoted therapy sessions when this type appeared). But many were individuals who simply wanted to see Bobby, to let him know he was in their thoughts and appreciated. Lewis, bearing photos of his latest projects, appeared (and, Bobby complained, spent most of the time flirting with Alex); Deakins made frequent visits, usually accompanied by a tasty smelling box (whose contents disappeared with extreme speed); even Carver arrived for a few short, surprisingly genial encounters (made more pleasant by the books he quietly handed to Bobby). But many of the visitors were cops: someone from Major Case seemed to drop by every day; there were also Narcotics detectives (who told several hair raising and hilarious stories about their work with Bobby); and even several uniforms who seemed to feel they owed Bobby something. Bobby scarcely knew how to handle the attention. Perched in the corner of his hospital room while she watched the visitors, Alex tried to keep her heart out of her throat as she realized Bobby was unaccustomed to receiving any attention, but particularly the positive variety.

Alex wheeled Bobby around a corner. Two women sat in the visitor's lounge at the end of the corridor; two children played with toys on the floor.

The little boy saw them first. "He's here!" he shouted with delight, and ran towards Alex and Bobby. Suddenly shy, he stopped a few feet in front of Bobby.

"Hey, Roberto," Bobby said softly. "How ya doing?"

"Ok," Roberto answered cautiously. He closely examined Bobby. "Are you still hurt…bad?"

Bobby leaned forward in the chair. "Oh…no…I don't really need this wheelchair…the doctors and nurses make me use it…and…" Bobby tilted his head towards Alex…"Detective Eames…"

Maria stepped forward and shyly handed Bobby some flowers. Bobby took and handled them as if they were precious and fragile jewels.

"Wow," he said. "These are beautiful…really beautiful."

Maria smiled. "We would've come sooner," she said, "but…the doctors wouldn't let us…they said you…" She stopped, her lip trembling.

"It's ok." Bobby touched her hand. "I'm all right now."

Alex tried to find some way to hide her trembling lips and brimming eyes. She sat next to Maria Vargas and Rosa Sanchez while Bobby played and talked with the children. The conversation was awkward at first, but the sight of Bobby demonstrating magic tricks to the enthralled children warmed the atmosphere.

"Detective Goren is so good with the children," Mrs. Sanchez said. "Does he have any of his own?"

"No…" Alex said.

"That's too bad," Maria Vargas said. "He's wonderful with them."

"Yes," Alex said thoughtfully. "Yes…he is."

It took four warnings from the nurses to get Bobby to stop playing with Roberto and Maria, and it was only after many promises that they could visit him again and several hugs that the children agreed to leave. Bobby insisted on accompanying them to the elevator where the children waved to him as the doors shut. Alex wheeled Bobby back to his room; it took some effort for him to get back in bed.

"Tired?" Alex asked as she pulled the covers back.

"A little," Bobby admitted.

Using a cup for a vase, Alex put the flowers in water.

"Nice improvisation there, Eames," Bobby smiled.

Alex studied the flowers for a few moments. "You were good with them," she said softly.

"Yea, well, I generally like other people's kids," Bobby said lightly. His tone grew sadder. "And I know what they….went through…"

Alex took a breath and decided to dive into dangerous waters. "Bobby…do you ever think about kids?"

He glanced at her. Warning signs appeared in his eyes.

"I mean…" Alex said…"kids of your own?"

"What is this, Alex? Some kind of maternal, hormonal thing?" Bobby was trying to be flippant, but his heart fell when he saw Alex's stricken face. "I'm sorry…that wasn't fair…" He stared at his hands. "It's just…I've never really allowed myself…to even think about it."

Alex decided to forgive Bobby's remark; his apology and pain were both real enough. "Has it ever been an issue?" she asked.

"Once or twice…Irene…one of the things that broke us up…and another woman…we…she started talking about kids…and I told her about my mother…and she…" Bobby plucked at his blanket. He looked at Alex with dark, sad eyes. "Why this discussion…why now?"

Alex sat in the chair next to Bobby's bed. "This is it," she thought. "We're having one of those big conversations…" She leaned forward.

"Just now," she said quietly. "When you were with Maria and Roberto…Mrs. Sanchez asked if you had children…and when I said no…she said it was too bad…"

Bobby continued to stare at his hands. "This is it," he thought. "One of those things that could tear us apart." He sighed and looked up at Alex.

"I…the odds…aren't in my favor of being a good father," he said.

"You…you told Nicole not to count you out," Alex said. A heavy silence followed, and Alex feared she had crossed a line.

"It…it was wishful thinking," Bobby finally said. "And bravado…she…was probably right."

"No," Alex said more sharply than she wished. "She's never been right about you…she knows nothing about you." Alex placed her hand over Bobby's. "Do you want children?" she asked gently.

Bobby bit his lip. "I…I don't know…I do…I love them…but so many things can go wrong…you can hurt them in so many ways…even with two good parents…with plenty of resources…what kind of odds would a kid have with…with me…" Bobby blinked.

"You're a good, intelligent, sensitive man. I'd say pretty good ones," Alex answered.

"But…even ignoring my family history…I'm…you said it yourself, Alex. All I want to do is catch bad guys…"

"Maybe because that's all you've let yourself do."

Bobby shook his head. "Do you…Alex…do you want children?"

"We're talking about you, Bobby…not me." Alex tried to avoid being confrontational.

Bobby took a deep breath. "I'd say we're talking about us, Alex."

"Ok," Alex conceded. "I don't HAVE to have children…I know what it's like…Being pregnant was the best and worst…and want isn't the word for how I feel about having kids…but if…if it happened…with you…" She looked at Bobby. "I really think you'd be a wonderful father…if you could get past your fear that you're going to hurt or damage them…"

Bobby again plucked at his blankets. "At least I'd have a pretty good idea of what not to do…"

Alex gave a wan smile. "I think I'd know what to do," she said. "My Mom and Dad were…are…pretty good examples…but…I'd have to at least change the direction of my career…I believe parents should be married…and that would mean changes in our jobs…and I love my job…so…I don't know…I know our work defines us both…is part of what we are…and I love you, Bobby…you…the way you are."

Bobby stared at Alex. "A lot of people," he said, "try to change people…"

Alex shook her head. "Not me…I've never understood that…you love people for what they are…you hope you make them better…but you don't change people…" She paused. "Does any of this make any sense?"

Bobby smiled at her. "Yea…I think…" A huge yawn escaped him. "Sorry."

"You're exhausted…we don't have to decide anything on this…and maybe we never will…like I said, this isn't make or break for me." She adjusted Bobby's pillows and pulled the covers over him.

Bobby looked at her with enormous relief. "Thank you," he whispered.

Alex smiled at him and kissed him. "You get some rest."

"Could you…" Bobby was suddenly shy; his soft brown eyes and gentle voice reminded Alex of Roberto Sanchez. "Could you stay till I fall asleep?"

"Of course." Alex sat in the chair and took Bobby's hand.

End Chapter 9


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The light was bright, too bright. Alex couldn't see because of the bright, white light pounding her eyes. She couldn't see Bobby in spite of the fact he was only a few feet from her. She tightly gripped her gun; her sweat soaked hands made it difficult to hold. She desperately tried to remember all that she'd learned from the academy and Bobby about hostage situations, how she and Bobby worked through similar cases. But it was all swimming away from her on a sea of terror. Ruben Sanchez screamed at her, and the terrified children came into horribly clear focus. Whatever she was saying to Sanchez was failing; it only increased his fury. Bobby suddenly appeared clearly before her. He was on his knees, and Sanchez had a gun rammed against his bleeding head. Bobby's dark brown eyes pleaded with her. Sanchez screamed with rage and, slowly, terribly, he pulled the trigger. Red and scarlet filled the world.

"No! Bobby! No!" Alex screamed. Sick, sweat dripping off her body, Alex stared around her. She was not in the Sanchez house; she was in her bed, in her home. Trembling, tears streaking her cheeks, Alex flicked on the small lamp, and threw her body on what she had come to regard as Bobby's pillow. A few days ago she had replaced Bobby's dress shirt with one of his T-shirts she had lifted from his hospital room. Alex breathed deeply and felt some comfort from Bobby's faint scent. She stretched, rose from the bed, and padded into the bathroom.

Alex stared in the mirror. "Well," she thought, "it's been worse…but not by much." She splashed water on her face. "This," she thought, "must be what it's like for Bobby…how does he do it?" Alex shook her head, and headed back to bed. She slipped beneath the covers, turned off the light, and tried to breathe deeply and evenly. Nightmares weren't unknown to Alex Eames; she wondered if any semi-sane New York City cop could function without them. She had experienced particularly vicious ones when she lost her husband and when she was pregnant, and Bobby Goren had been the central figure in several even before they acknowledged and acted on their feelings. The Sanchez case bred a terrible dream, one whose themes and variations Alex had experienced in the weeks Bobby had been in the hospital. It started in the same way each time—Sanchez held the gun on Bobby and the children; Alex held her gun on him. The ending was slightly different—sometimes, the children died, sometimes Bobby died, sometimes Bobby and the children died, and once, perhaps most horribly, Bobby, bleeding to death on the floor, begged Alex to save him.

Alex shivered, turned, and wrapped around Bobby's pillow. "He gets out of the hospital tomorrow," she thought. "I'll have him to hold again…it'll be better…we'll be ok…" She drifted into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

Bobby sat impatiently in the wheelchair. "I don't know why I need to be in this…" he started.

Alex and a nurse shot him warning looks. "You're staying in it until you're out of here," the nurse said. "And if you're smart and want to back to 100, you'll take care of that let…and your ribs….and…"

"He will," Alex said. "I'll make sure of that."

Clearly unhappy, Bobby settled back in the chair and watched Alex and the nurse gather his things. "I think," he said as he looked into one bag, "I might be missing a T-shirt…"

"Oh, that," Alex said. Bobby saw a tinge of red rise on her cheeks. "I think I picked that up by mistake…What's this?" Alex picked up a homemade card with the words "Our Hero" written on it.

Bobby's cheeks now turned slightly red.

"That's sweet, isn't it?" the nurse said. "The little boy and girl who visited him a couple of times…they made and brought it."

Alex smiled at Bobby and placed the card in his binder.

Bobby grew increasingly restless as he went through the release process. If his ribs and sore muscles would have let him, he would have bolted through the hospital's front door and into the waiting cab. As it was, he moved as quickly as he good into the back seat.

"Ok?" Alex asked as she slipped in beside him.

"Just…a little sore." Bobby looked out the cab's window. "It's good to be outside…"

"You want to go home?" Alex asked.

Bobby glanced at her. "I was thinking," he said cautiously. "Last night…" He stared again out the cab's window. "I…I'm not sure where "home" is, Alex."

Alex let one of her hands slip over his. "You mean the fact that you've spent more time lately in my apartment than yours?" She smiled.

He stared at their hands. "Yea…and no place…has ever felt…" Bobby swallowed. "I don't think…I've really known…what a home felt like…until…I was in your apartment."

"This sounds like it might be turning into another big conversation," Alex said.

"Yea…we seem to having a lot of those lately…" Bobby stared out the window again. "It's not the place, Alex, as much as it's you…you…you make me feel…at home." He glanced at her.

Alex felt joy, fear, and love rise in her; she struggled to keep tears from falling from her eyes. She knew enough of Bobby's life that very few of the places he called home were anything like the safe, warm, and secure places she used the same word to describe. She also had some idea of how difficult it was for Bobby to admit his dependence on her, and it both terrified and thrilled her. She squeezed his hand.

"We can stop at your place," Alex said. "Check on things, and then go to mine."

"I…I…don't want to intrude." Bobby's fences began to rise.

Alex brushed a hand against his cheek. "I'd say you've already done that…and me with you…and I WANT you around…I've missed you…" She let her hand rest against Bobby's face and took a deep breath. "You know that T-shirt you missed?"

Bobby looked at her with some surprise. "Uh…yea…"

"I took it and…" Alex suddenly saw how ridiculous this action was. "I took it and wrapped it around a pillow…" Alex stared at her hands. "I wanted…needed something…that…smelled like you." She glanced up to find Bobby smiling at her.

"Well," he said, "you could've at least brought me something of yours…might have helped me."

Alex smiled back at him.

They made the brief stop at Bobby's apartment to check his mail and messages and collect a few of his things. By the time they arrived at Alex's apartment she noticed that Bobby's shoulders had started to slump and his step becoming heavy.

"Hey," she said as they entered the elevator. "You ok?"

"Just not used to being upright for so long," Bobby answered with a weary smile.

"C'mon," Alex said gently as she guided him out of the elevator and to her door.

It was a measure of Bobby's exhaustion that he allowed Alex to guide him to her couch, put a pillow behind him, and help him place his right let up without a word of protest.

"Stay there," she told him as he carried his bag into the bedroom.

"Yes, ma'am," Bobby replied, trying for a light tone, but Alex heard the mixture of pain and exhaustion in his voice. He was nearly asleep when Alex returned. She knelt in front of him, and the movement brought him back awake.

"Sorry," Bobby whispered. "It's just…everything seems to…to take…so much effort…"

Alex kissed him softly on his forehead. "I'll get you some food…and you can take your pills…what would you like?"

Bobby sighed. "Oh, Alex…I'm so tired…I'm not sure…I can eat…"

"Well, you've got to take your painkillers and antibiotics…and you've got to eat something to take them." A thought struck her. "How about some Captain Crunch?"

Bobby gave a tired laugh. "Ok."

Alex managed to get the cereal in a bowl and out to Bobby before he fell asleep again. They ate the sweet peanut butter flavored cereal quietly for several minutes.

"We didn't get the real stuff very often," Alex said as she spooned up some of the cereal. "Too many kids on a cop and nurse's salaries…we got the generic stuff in the plastic bags."

Bobby stared in the depths of his bowl. "I don't think I can eat any more, Alex…"

"I think so." Alex took Bobby's bowl into the kitchen and returned with his pills and a glass of water. Bobby silently accepted them.

"C'mon," Alex said cheerfully. "Let's get you in bed."

Bobby rose unsteadily from the couch; Alex reached out to steady him. He paused and stared at his feet.

"Alex," he said softly, "you don't…have to…I mean…I appreciate it…but you don't have to take care of me…."

A small ember of frustration rose in Alex, but it was quickly squelched. "This is Bobby Goren you're dealing with," she thought. "And he has issues and problems you can't begin to imagine…and one of the reason you love him is because he fights so hard to deal with them…"

She squeezed his hand. "It's ok," she said. "Like I said…I missed you." She led him into the bedroom and pulled back the covers on the bed. Bobby sat down and let a hand brush across the sheets.

"You've put the flannel ones on," he said.

"Yea…beats turning the heat on." Alex helped Bobby slip off his shoes; he cupped her chin in one of his large hands.

"I've missed you…missed you so much," Bobby whispered. "I never knew…it was possible to love someone…so much…to feel…to need someone's physical presence…so much…"

Alex helped him take off his shirt. She winced at the faded bruises just visible beneath Bobby's T-shirt. "You're here now…I don't have to steal your clothes."

Bobby slipped out of his jeans and revealed more bruises. "And people say I'm the one that has to smell everything."

"I don't have to smell everything," Alex said as she draped Bobby's clothes on a chair. "Just things that remind me of you."

Bobby carefully slid his legs under the covers and fell back against the pillows. Alex shed her own clothes and, after slipping Bobby's T-shirt over her head, curled in beside him.

They rested in each other's arm, each taking in the warm scent of the other, each praying that tonight the dreams wouldn't come.

Darkness. Pain. Something held him tightly; sharp claws stabbed him. His head, wrists and ankles throbbed with pain. Bobby desperately tried to cry out, but a terrible gag with the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. Horrible, taunting, dissonant voices filled his ears. The monsters had him.

Through the thick darkness Bobby saw Alex running towards him. He struggled to scream, to warn her, to get free, but the claws grew tighter, the gag thicker, the voices louder. He could only watch in horror as blood-eyed black figures surrounded Alex. She fought them and clutched one of his hands. Then Bobby fell, fell into a pit filled with scarlet eyes and claws, pulling Alex with him, down, down into the darkness. She struggled to get away from him, to break his hold on her; she grabbed at the pit's edge with her free hand, but she couldn't hold on. Surrounded by red and black, Alex and Bobby fell. Her screams reverberated in his head.

Bobby shot up. Sweat soaked his T-shirt, and he shivered as the cold air hit his damp body. He realized that Alex's screams were not just part of his dreams; they were real. She was twisting in the bed and screaming his name.

"Alex…Alex," Bobby said softly and gently. He cautiously touched her on the shoulder.

"No! Bobby! No! No!" Alex screamed as she jolted up. She swung her arms wildly, and Bobby caught her wrists and tried to calm her.

"Alex…I'm here…it's all right…it's a dream…a nightmare…we're in your bedroom." Bobby fought to keep his voice calm.

Alex ceased struggling. Panting, she stared at him. "B…bobby?" she whispered and reached out to touch his cheek. "Y…you're all right…"

He leaned forward and let his forehead touch hers. "Yes…I'm here…it's ok…"

Alex shook and fell sobbing into his arms. Bobby winced slightly as she bumped his ribs, but Alex fortunately didn't notice it. He held her, stroked her back, and murmured softly in her hair. "I'm here…it's all right… I'm here, Alex…I love you…" Bobby whispered over and over again. Alex's head rested just blow his chin and she clung to him. Her sobs finally eased and stopped; she remained trembling in his arms for several minutes.

"Ok?" Bobby asked.

"Uh…better…" Alex slipped out of his arms and reached for a tissue. She wiped her eyes and nose and looked at Bobby. "You're…you're soaking wet," she said, and grabbed another tissue to gently wipe Bobby's face. "What about you…are you ok?"

Bobby flinched. "Like you…" He hesitated.

"Bad dream?" Alex asked gently.

"Yea…" Bobby held her hands. "Do you want to talk about yours?"

Alex studied him for a moment. "But you won't tell me about all of yours…"

Bobby couldn't meet her eyes.

Alex took a deep breath and settle cross-legged on the bed. "Mine wasn't all that original…just returning to the Sanchez case…only it didn't end as well…" She fingered the covers.

"It…it must have been awful for you, Alex." Bobby still held her hand. "To have to wait…to not know…"

Alex gave him a wan smile. "Not as awful as it was for you…to be in the dark…"

"I…I'm sorry I had to…you had to go away…" Bobby struggled with his voice. "I didn't…couldn't see any other way…but I knew…even in the dark…if I could hold on…you'd…you'd be there…you'd save me…you always…save…"

"Then…why don't you trust me…" Alex blinked and bit her lip.

Bobby released her hands and ran his hand through his hair. "I do trust you, Alex…it's just…it's just…"

Alex's heart bled for her and Bobby. She reached for him; Bobby lurched to his feet and away from her.

"Alex…I'm sorry…I do trust you…I swear…if I can trust anyone…" In spite of the pain of his leg and ribs, Bobby started pacing. "It's just…" Bobby rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm not leaving, Bobby," Alex said calmly. "I'm here."

Bobby ceased pacing and studied Alex. She sat quietly on her bed and looked at him with gentle eyes. Her damp hair curled around her face, and her sea green eyes were open and…trusting. "I can't," Bobby thought. "She'll leave…they all leave…she'll leave me…the job…but she…deserves the truth…"

Bobby swallowed. "I…I've told you about some of my dreams…"

"Yes." Alex's voice was gentle and steady.

He resumed pacing; Alex noted he limped slightly. He suddenly stopped and sat on the edge of the bed, just out of Alex's reach. Bobby stared at his hands, and finally, resigned, he spoke in a flat voice.

"The worst ones…there are these things…monsters, I guess…I never see their faces…or what they are…"

Alex thought that Bobby spoke as if he was delivering the recitation of the facts of a case.

"They're all black…except for their teeth…claws…eyes…those are red…scarlet, really…and they come for me…they've come for me since I was fourteen or so…they've come for so long…I'm just grateful for a night when they don't…the first night we were together…" Bobby's voice wavered for the first time. "I thought being with you…it was so wonderful…I was so happy…I…I didn't even know what the feeling was…so wonderful…"

Bobby couldn't look at Alex. "I'll never feel that again," he thought.

"They still came…" His voice shook. "And now they…want you…and tonight…you were trying to save me…you fought them off…but you got hold of me…"

Tears started to drop from Bobby's eyes; Alex leaned to touch him, but he jerked to his feet. He stood with his back to her; she saw his shoulders shake with the effort to control his emotions.

"And you couldn't get free…and we fell…I pulled you…into this pit…you couldn't hold on to the edge…and we fell…"

Alex saw Bobby's shoulders heave, and for a moment she couldn't bear to look at him. She blinked and looked away; when she looked again Bobby was pulling on his pants.

"What…are you…" Alex was stunned.

He refused to look at her; his voice was flat. "I'll come by sometime when you're not here to get my things…and return yours…I'll leave the key…I'll talk to Deakins tomorrow…I'll transfer…or…but don't worry…it won't reflect on you…I won't let it…and you won't have to deal with me long…and I promise you…" Bobby's voice suddenly became fierce. "You'll have nothing to worry about…I will be the perfect partner…I will protect…" His voice cracked.

Alex felt as if a Mack truck had swept past her. She jumped to her feet and planted her body between Bobby and the bedroom door. She grabbed his sweater and clutched it to her like a shield.

Bobby stared at her. "What…what are you doing?"

"I asked you the same question," Alex replied in a voice much stronger than she felt.

"I…I'm…" Bobby was lost and confused. "Don't you want me…"

"No," Alex said quietly and simply. "I love you. I want you to stay."

Bobby was unable to register her words. "But…but…didn't you hear…what I said…"

Alex shrugged. "You have bad dreams…I know enough about you, Bobby, that if you didn't have bad dreams I'd be more worried about you…"

Bobby rubbed his neck. "Didn't you hear what I said? There are monsters in my head…and they want you…"

"Yea, well, they can't have me," Alex said forcefully.

Bobby stared at her. "It's not that simple…"

"And they can't have you." Alex stepped towards Bobby. "You're mine…they don't get you."

Bobby raised his hands to stop her; he still stared at her. "You …don't want…to leave…."

Alex stood in front of him and reached for his hands. "Bobby," she said softly and firmly, "this is my apartment…you're the one trying to leave."

Bobby's eyes widened.

Alex tugged on his hands and pulled him gently to the bed; she carefully pushed him to sit on it and sat beside him.

Bobby stared at the floor. "Alex," he breathed her name. "I swore…I wouldn't…I would never…let myself hurt you…"

"You haven't…and you won't." Alex believed the words as she said them. She touched his cheek. "Are you sure…that you're not afraid…that I'll hurt you?"

His head shot up; his eyes were so full of pain and fear that Alex fought to keep from crying.

"You…couldn't…hurt anyone…" he whispered. "But everyone…everyone…" Bobby began to tremble. "They leave…my dad, my brother, my mom…women…"

"So you leave first…before they hurt you."

The trembling moved to shaking. "I…no…I…leave before I hurt…no…"

Alex placed both hands on Bobby's face; she gently turned his head so that his eyes had to meet hers. "You won't hurt me, Bobby…I won't hurt you…we're strong enough together…"

The tears poured from Bobby's eyes and he fell sobbing into her arms.

End Chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11

I may not be able to post for a few days, so I thought I should bring this one to an end. Thanks for the kind reviews.

Chapter 11

It was Alex's turn to take on the role of comforter. She stroked Bobby's back and whispered softly in his hair. "It's all right," she said over and over. "I love you…I'm here…I'm not going to leave…"

Bobby's tears finally eased and stopped. He moved from her arms and gratefully accepted the tissues she offered him.

"We're going to have to start buying these in bulk," Alex said. "We seem to spend a lot of time doing this."

Bobby gave her a weak smile. Alex smiled back at him.

"Hey," she said. "You're going to get cold and get sick again…leave me again with all the paperwork."

Bobby started to get up. "I'll help you change the bed…"

"No, wait…stay here…just a bit." Alex padded out of the room leaving a relieved but puzzled Bobby.

He fell back against the damp sheets and tried to accept that Alex Eames wasn't afraid (or at least was doing an excellent job of not showing it); wasn't going to leave him; didn't want him to leave; and loved him. The idea that someone--anyone, let alone this tough, smart, beautiful woman—loved him enough not to be afraid overwhelmed him. Bobby shivered, not only as a result of the cold air, and pulled a blanket around his body. He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the combination of lavender, laundry soap, and Alex. He heard water running in the distance. "What's she up to?" he thought.

Alex entered the room and walked over to the bed. "Please," she said extending her hand. "Sit up."

Bobby obeyed. Alex sat before him and gently kissed him on the forehead. "Do you remember" she asked, "that night…after that awful case not long after we came together..."

"Uh…yea." Bobby blinked. "Why…why would you remember…"

"Not the case." She rested her hands on his knees. "After…what you did for me. Please…I want to do that for you."

Bobby was confused. "I…don't understand…"

"Bobby," Alex said with gentle exasperation, "for a genius, you can be awfully dense." She kissed him on the nose. "Please…let me do this for you."

Bobby blinked again and took a long breath. "Ok," he sighed.

"Well, if it's going to be torture for you, maybe I'll reconsider." Alex laughed; after a beat Bobby joined her.

"The intelligent, tough, beautiful woman that I love is offering to take care of me, and I'm worried about it. I may have more to worry about than monsters." Bobby smiled.

Alex grinned at him. "Here," she said, and pulled his T-shirt over his head. She winced at the fading bruises and touched them gently.

"Still hurt?"

"Only," Bobby answered, "when I laugh…cry…breath."

"I'll try not to hurt you…C'mere."

She guided him into the bathroom. Lovely scented bubbles filled the tub and candles lit the room.

"Damn, Eames," Bobby said. "This will completely blow my macho image." He slipped out of his boxers.

"I'm not telling," Alex said. "In the water."

Bobby let the hot water and soap soak into his body. Grateful that Alex had a semi-large tub, he closed his eyes and let his head rest against the tiles. He was drifting towards sleep when he heard and felt Alex enter the room. His eyes remained closed as she began to wash his body with a soft sponge. Each touch soothed him; even his aching ribs softened and relaxed. He had never felt so warm, so safe, so loved. He knew in his mind and heart and soul that Alex was right. The monsters might come back; he might have to fight them. But they couldn't and wouldn't have Alex, and Alex couldn't and wouldn't let them have him.

Alex lifted his left arm and gently washed the cuts on the wrist. Bobby gazed at her, and Alex swam in his chocolate eyes.

"All right?" she whispered.

"Much, much better than all right," he answered.

She glided her fingers over his wrist. "Do the doctors think there'll be scars?"

"Probably." Bobby sensed they were referring to far more than physical marks. "But I'll just add them to my collection."

She kissed the cuts. "It must have hurt a lot."

"Yea…but…the kids…they were brave…so brave…and I knew…I had to stay alive…for them…for you…" Bobby leaned back against the tiles. "I…I'm not used to this, Alex…to have…something…someone…"

Alex kissed him. "Here…let me wash your hair."

"What little there is," Bobby murmured as her fingers weaved in and out of his short curls.

"You should let it grow a bit…not too long…but a little," Alex said. "Here, I'll rinse it."

She poured warm water over Bobby's head; he felt renewed, baptized by the water. Alex unplugged the tub, and, as the water drained, she filled the pitcher again and again with warm water and poured it over Bobby's body.

"Can you get out?" she finally whispered.

Bobby rose carefully from the tub; Alex wrapped the fluffiest and largest of her towels around him. She walked him into the bedroom, gently dried him, and guided him to lie face down on the clean, soft sheets. Bobby smelled a subtle, sweet scent, and Alex began slowly and methodically to rub a warmed lotion into his back. He purred softly in contentment.

"I'm not hurting you…"

"No…" The pillows muffled Bobby's voice. "It's wonderful."

Alex kissed him between his shoulders. She massaged his neck and shoulders, rubbing the lotion into his muscles, kneading them and feeling them loosen beneath her fingers. Bobby buried his face into the pillows. Alex worked her way down Bobby's body, gently pushing, pulling, pummeling his hips and legs and feet. His body became limp and liquid; he had never been so relaxed.

"Please…turn over," Alex whispered, and she slipped into bed beside him.

Bobby obeyed and saw that she had shed her clothes. As much as she could, she wrapped around him.

"There are only two things I really dislike about being so much smaller than you," she said. "You get all the water when we take a shower together, and I can't cocoon you the way you do me."

They could just see each other in the room's dim light. "Sorry," he answered, "but I'm not inclined to give up either one."

Alex pushed him gently on his back. "At least I can be a bit of a blanket," she said and stretched over him and drew the covers around them. Bobby embraced her, and she nested on him.

"No monsters," Alex said confidently, "are going to get us."

"I know…I believe," Bobby replied.

Their breaths matched, and they fell asleep.

THE END


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